Dranland
Dranland (also known as Drania), officially the Kingdom of Dranland, is a country north-west of Dovani. With an area of 751,125 sq mi (1,201,800 sq km), Drania is situated c.600 mi (970 km) east of Trigunia and c.180 mi (290 km) north east of Egelion. The Kingdom is made up of five regions called Provinces: Loren, Ulbrach, Valdor, Magadonia and Elbian. History Pre-Colonization First Settlements Not very much is known about the history of Dranland before around the 7th century CE, as there was no recorded history during this time, therefore most of what is known for this time comes from archaeological evidence. It appears that human settlement in the region begins around the 23rd century BCE, represented by various hunter-gatherer tribes. It is not known what cultural or ethnic group these first settlers were part of, but they seem to have created a fairly complex culture around the beginning of the first millennium BCE. The iron age in Drania apparently started around the 3rd century BCE. Although it is not certain who first introduced iron culture in Dranland, it can be speculated that the use of iron was brought in the region by the Welsh tribes in the East. Nevertheless, iron use is strongly correlated with the dramatic increase of Welsh settlements in Drania. It can be inferred that there was a Welsh invasion of the region in the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE. From this period more stable and agricultural human settlements predominate, and Drania was inhabited almost exclusively by Welsh tribes for the next thousand years or so. Kyo Kingdom In the year 654, Drania was invaded by a Gao-Showa group, the Kyo. They settled in what is now Elbian, creating several kingdoms. They were unified in 736, by the king of Gongmangdo, Baekgu the Great. Gongmangdo became the capital of the Kyo Kingdom, which at its apogee controlled almost the whole of the modern territory of Deulatoji. In 1343 the Kyo Kingdom became a vassal state to the Empire of Gao-Soto, a position which was maintained until the conquest of the latter by Luthori around 1560. After this date, the Kingdom again became independent. Egelian Colonization Due to the proximity of Egelion to Drania, the former began to manifest colonial interests over the Kyo Kingdom. After the peaceful unification of Egelion in 1610, the King of Egalion ordered an expedition to be sent to Drania in 1615. The expedition proved very influential, as it introduced Western technologies and Christianity to Deulatoji for the first time in history. Following several wars, during which the capital of Gongmangdo was occupied by Egalion, the Kyo Kingdom was forced to become an Egelian protectorate in 1633. The Kyo king, under the Baekgu Dynasty, continued to serve as nominal ruler of Deulatoji, however his role was nominal, as real power rested with the Egelian Resident General, who set his residence in a newly built fort in Loren. A city grew around the fort, which began to be known as Castellón (also known as Seong, meaning fortress). During the Protectorate period, Drania became a destination point for a large number of Egelians, leading in time to a significant change in Dranian demographics. The last Kyo king, Baekgu Jeong-u, was forced to abdicate in 1721, ten years after the complete unification of Egelion. The Kingdom was disestablished and replaced with the Vice-Royalty of Deulatoji (Virreinato de Drania), and the Resident General became Vice-King of Drania. The capital of the new colony became Castellón. Dranian Wars of Independence One significant result of massive Egelian immigration to Drania was the development of a new ethnic group, the Dranians, speakers of Spanish but more closely identifying with their new homeland than Egelion. The Dranians began to resent the direct rule of Egelion over Drania, and revolted numerous times during the 20th and 21st centuries. It was only in 2177 that Drania managed to gain independence from the Commonwealth of Egelion as the Republic of Dranland. Republic of Dranland No Materials Dranian Imperium No materials Respublica Dranii The last years of the Respublica Dranii were marked by corruption, ethnic tensions, and government instability. The Kyo and Welsh inhabitants of Elbian began to advocate for secession, and in 2840 they formed the Elbian Liberation Army. At the same time, an new religious movement, the Universal Church of Terra, began to spread among the ethnic Dranians. Using the Party of the Light as its political arm, the Church also threatened the stability of the Respublica. Due to the regime's perceived inability to respond to these threats, the government was overthrown in February 2840 by a military coup d'etat. The new military government quickly established a single-party state under the Fatherland – Anti Revolutionary Party. Theocracy The junta, although it eliminated the threat posed by Elbian separatists, was not able to curb the religious fanaticism of the Party of the Light, and eventually the military government collapsed in January 2844. The Universal Church of Terra became the state religion of the Respublica Dranii, and in 2852 Drania officially became the Theocratic Republic of Drania (Teocrática República de Drania), being ruled by the UCT clergy, the Metropolitans. Since the Universal Church clergy was hereditary, soon a new aristocracy developed, with several Metropolitan families gaining most of the power. One of these families, the House of Santiago, became the most important family in Drania. As a recognition of this fact, an agreement was reached between the Santiagos and the Church, whereby Drania was to become a constitutional monarchy under the House of Santiago, with the monarch being the ceremonial head of the Universal Church of Terra, and the UCT continuing to have most of the political power. Consequently, Drania officially became the Theocratic Kingdom of Drania (Teocrático Reino de Drania) in 2873. The relationship between the new monarchy, allied with the theocratic aristocracy, and the Church was not an easy one, as each tried to use the other as a tool for the political control of the country. The Theocracy was also affected by ethnic tensions between the Dranians and the minority Welsh and Kyo. This was exacerbated by the rise of the Eternal Harmony and Empire Magnificent in Sekowo in 2925, as the new Sekowan regime was officially Gao-Showa nationalist and Pan-Dovanist. The Kyo nationalists decided to support the Church against the monarchy, and for a moment, around the 2930s, it seemed that the inclusion of Drania in the Second Sekowan Empire was imminent. This was prevented by the Orinco junta in Sekowo and the Fourth Sekowan Civil War. Zen Revolution It was only several decades afterwards that the Theocracy was again challenged by a Kyo nationalist movement, the Gao-Showa Imperial Revolutionary Front. By this time, however, the Dranian monarchy and religious aristocracy were entirely brought under the control of the Universal Church of Terra, so the development of a party advocating minority and religious rights was not well received by the Theocratic Kingdom. In March 2964, a massive Kyo nationalist protest and Zen collective meditation gathering in Gongmangdo was forcefully dispersed by the Theocracy's religious police. This provoked much outcry from both the Kyo and Welsh nationalists, who began to rebel against the government. After the rebels successfully gained control over Gongmangdo in September 2964, the revolt turned into a country-wide revolution. For around three years the country was in chaos, as the revolution began to spread and attract more supporters from among all those dissatisfied with the corruption of the Theocratic regime. On December 12th, 2967, king Rodrigo I of Drania was forced to appoint the chairman of the Gao-Showa Imperial Revolutionary Front, Dong Young Sung, as the head of government. The next day the king abdicated and fled in exile in Hulstria. The revolutionary government established itself as the Holy Kingdom of Deulatoji, and almost immediately adopted several socialist measures, which were apparently very popular with the impoverished Kyo and Welsh. This time the Kyo nationalists were able to apply their policy of uniting with the Second Sekowan Empire, as in August 2969 Drania officially became a colony of the Eternal Harmony and Empire Magnificent of Sekowo. This however coincided with the Great Sekowian War, so the colonial status existed more on paper. In November 2969, however, Deulatoji decided to take part in the war on the ultra-nationalist side. Dranian involvement was limited to a single naval battle, where the Dranian fleet that was attempting to land on the Sekowan mainland with military and medical supplies was entirely destroyed. With the destruction of the Eternal Harmony and Empire Magnificent of Sekowo in September 2980, Drania found herself forced to pay the full cost of the missiles fired against her ships. This defeat, coupled with dissatisfaction caused by almost two decades of single-party rule and personality cult, and the rise of Welsh and Dranish political movements, determined the regime to accept a certain degree of political pluralism. In September 2985 the rule of Dong Young Sung ended, as the country became a Parliamentary Republic named the Enlightened People's Republic of Deulatoji. New Kingdom of Dranland After the revolution and reorganisation of Drania, the royal family Santiago lived few years in Hulstria in exil. But never gave up right to throne. In May 3005 HRH Rodrigo I, King of Drania dead in Hulstria. His remains were temporarily buried in the royal crypt in the cathedral of Kien. In 3155 they were allowed to return to the country. Remains of Rodrigo I and his daughter Laurencia I, Queen of Drania were buried in the Royal crypt in St. Svorad Cathedral in the capital city in Iglesia Mayor. Funeral was conducted quietly, on the basis of anti-monarchism government. Thanks to Imperial Crownlands of Greater Hulstria and International Monarchist League, in May 3182 was oficially crowned king of Dranland, HRH Carlos III of Drania in St. Svorad Cathedral with the presence of many monarchs and political figures and social life. New name of our caountry is Kingdom of Dranland. Geography Deep fjords indent the coasts of Dranland. The land itself is a geologically young basalt plateau, averaging 2,000 ft (610 m) in height (c.6,950 ft/2,120 m high, is the highest point) and culminating in vast icefields. There are about 200 volcanoes, many of them still active. Hot springs abound and are used for inexpensive heating; the great Geysir is particularly famous. The climate is relatively mild and humid (especially in the west and south), and almost subtropical around Elbian, owing to the proximity of the North Terran Drift; however, North and East Dranland have a polar, tundralike climate. Grasses predominate; timber is virtually absent, and much of the land is barren. (Some of this is a result of human habitation, which led to deforestation and overgrazing.) Only about one fourth of the peninsula is habitable, and practically all the larger inhabited places are located on the coast. Demographics The indigenous peoples of Drania are the Kyo and the Welsh, who formed the majority of the population until the Egelian colonization, and the third major group is formed by the Dranianos. The Kyo, also known by the exonym of "Drenish", are a Gao-Showa subgroup, and before colonization formed a Kingdom centered around today's Elbian (Eljang), with the capital at Gongmangdo. The Dranian Welsh, decended from the tribes on the Great North Dovani Plain, were once brought near extinction by the Welsh Genocide, but in recent years the community experienced a certain revival. The colonial period resulted in frequent intermariage and the development of a new ethno-cultural group, the Dranianos. They are descended mainly from Egelian settlers and their Kyo (Drenish) slaves. Most of them are bilingual, and recent years saw the increasing tendency of Dranians to identify as Kyo, due to the resurgence of Gao-Showa nationalism. The official languages are Kyo, Welsh, and Draniano Español. Virtually all Dranians are literate; they read more books per capita than any other people in the world. Religion Universal Church of Terra New religion in Drania was formed in 2840 during the revolution in Dranland. Head of the new church was named the King of Dranland hereditary by officials of Church. During the revolution this religion was prohibited. However, people retain their faith and now this religion can be freely profess. Official Head of The Universal Church of Terra is HRH Carlos III, King of Drania. The officialy title of Head of Church is La Plejaltulo Registo. List of religions in Dranland Economy About 15% of the land is potentially productive, but agriculture, cultivating mainly hay, potatoes, and turnips, is restricted to 0.5% of the total area. Fruits and vegetables are raised in greenhouses. There are extensive grazing lands, used mainly for sheep raising, but also for horses and cattle. Fishing is the most important industry, accounting for 20% of the gross national product (GNP) and 75% of the country's exports. Aside from aluminium smelting and ferrosilicon production, Drania has little heavy industry and relies on imports for many of the necessities and luxuries of life. More than half of Drania's GNP comes from the communications, trade, and service industries; Drania is the new banking centre of the Northeast. Tourism is also important. Most trade was traditionally done with Egelion, New Endralon, Kazulia, the Seleyan countries, and Beluzia. In 2190, Drania's per capita national income was higher than the average for Terra. The country experienced a recession from the late 2180s into the early 2190s, as fish stocks dwindled and world prices for fish and aluminum dropped. However, the economy stabilized in the 2190s and the government continued its policies of diversifying the economy and expanding hydroelectric and geothermal energy resources, thus reducing dependence on oil imports. The Dranian Zen Revolution in 2968 brought the country's economy under centralized command, with the nationalization of all industries and banks and the redistribution of agricultural land. Due to the new regime's isolationist policies, foreign trade has declined dramatically. Moreover, the Holy Kingdom follows an official policy of Songun (Military First), and as such 75% of the current budget is dedicated to defence spending. Government and Politics Government The Kingdom of Dranland is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The monarch of Drania, currently Queen Laurencia I, is hereditary and led by the House of Santiago. The People's Assembly is the legislature of Drania and consists of 300 delegates chosen by direct election. The People's Assembly is led by the President, who is elected by the People's Assembly to act as the head of government. Politics Throughout most of its modern era, Dranland was ruled by non-democratic regimes, and as such the citizens generally show an affinity for authoritarian governments or fanatical new religious movements that often have a political message. Until recently, Drania was a single-party state, being ruled by the Jegug-ui Hyeogmyeong Jeonseon (제국의 혁명 전선 - Imperial Revolutionary Front). After the fall of the Zen Socialist State, the Liberal Nationalist Party returned the monarchy and began to liberalize the economy. Current Political Parties Military The Royal Armed Forces of Dranland, also known simply as the Royal Armed Forces, is comprised of the Royal Army, Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force. Category:Nations Category:Dranland Category:Dovani